


Shorts of Sorts & Troy's Shorts

by MarsMars



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dysfunctional Family, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22476100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsMars/pseuds/MarsMars
Summary: Standalone one-shots involving the Calypso Twins with the occasional Reader pairing. Each chapter has its own universe rules/background, pairing centered, one-sided pairings, angst, and all that fun stuff which will be described in the author's notes.(HIATUS AS OF SEPTEMBER 2020)
Relationships: Troy Calypso/Reader, Tyreen Calypso/Reader
Comments: 23
Kudos: 66





	1. Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes someone’s presence is all you need for comfort.
> 
> Tags: Minor Angst and Fluff, Troy, Reader, Vague Relationship, One-Side Relationship, Established Odd Friendship
> 
> Not beta-read, but judged by my cat.

Clack, clack, clack, pause

_Sip_

Clack, clack, clack, clack

Your fingers graced over the abused keyboard, your computer mouse bearing the brunt of the aggressive clicking as your eyes darted around, scrutinizing the video you were working on. Although the day’s work had been completed, you stayed behind in the studio to clean up the new batch of video clips that Troy had sent over for the CoV’s Let’s Flay series. 

Troy Calypso, your boss.

The rest of the studio crew were gone for the night, retiring to their quarters and leaving you alone to your own devices. Unlike the other tasteful members of the CoV, you and your crew were pretty sane, a welcomed relief for the Calypso that decided to spare your group. Nobody attempted to blow up bandits, catch on fire, or get on Troy’s nerves. 

Perfect, model ‘employees.’

Your crew were the only ones left alive from a failed documentary series expedition on Pandora, no attempts from your former employer to retrieve the group. When the CoV raided the small compound you and your fellow unpaid intern video editors were holed up in, the Calypso twins were dumbfounded to find a ‘cult’ of bandits worshipping a vintage VHS player. To survive the crazed bandits, you managed to rig the item to spool out random pieces of paper with messages that described the actions of certain locals. Your crew had combed through various video feeds acquired during the beginning of the expedition, essentially creating a blackmailing VHS player to keep the locals in check while masquerading as the electronic’s ‘keepers.’

Did that impress Troy? Probably, but he was more ecstatic in finding others that had more than one working brain cell in Pandora that knew their way around electronics without destroying the items. That, and the local bandits got to keep their heads by becoming the heavy muscle for moving audio and film equipment for Troy, still fearing the wrath of the old VHS player. 

As unpaid interns, you and the crew had little choice but to join the CoV. The promise of food and shelter without the burden of student loans and debt collectors was enticing minus the cult atmosphere. It was a small price to pay for ‘divine protection’ from the harsh life in Pandora. 

“Still fucking cold…” you muttered, adjusting the blanket covering the lower half of your body.

_And the insufferable Pandoran heat as well._

Checking remotely the thermostat via your computer, you cursed under your breath at the chilly temperature that was set for the studio. Due to the delicate computer equipment, the studio was the only place in the CoV compound that was freezing cold. You rubbed your hands together, grabbing your cup of tea to warm them up. It was short lived, the tea growing cold. Sighing, you kept on working.

Shortly after, a loud hiss from the steel doors announced company. You paid no attention to the new guest, hearing the dragging footsteps and huge thuds of heavy items hitting the floor, followed by the creaking of a chair. Sniffing, you quickly saved your work, waiting on the computer to finish processing while sipping your tea.

“Rough day, boss?” you asked, still staring at the screen, resuming your work.

A grunt was your response.

“...Got chewed out again for something that had nothing to do with you?” you inquired, popping your neck as you sift through another batch of video clips. 

“Hmmm….”

“Tough shit,” you replied, side-glancing at the studio’s other occupant. Leaning further backwards, Troy was pushing the limits of his chair as he sunk further down, his eyebrows creased as he glared forward. You blinked, not bothering to continue the conversation when the computer beeped from an error in an audio track. Your attention switched back to the screen, duty calling. 

You tuned out all noise except from the keyboard, slowly realizing another annoying sound disrupting your thought process. Troy stopped rocking on his chair, the squeaking noise ceasing. Rubbing the bridge of your nose in annoyance, you shot him a look despite the man facing the other way. 

Silence.

Then the clack, clack, clack, click, click resumed.

...

_Squeak!_

“I swear to the universe…” you muttered, taking a deep breath. 

You were sure Troy was doing this on purpose. 

Shoving your hand inside a pocky box stashed inside your desk drawer, you took a stick out and began nibbling on it to occupy your mind, shifting gears and forgetting about the insufferable squeaking noise of Troy moving about in his office chair. The sound of wheels scraping against hard concrete floor managed to squeeze itself past the noise-cancelling headphones, signaling the Calypso’s position in your personal space. Engrossed in your work, the weight on your shoulder didn’t stop you from editing, adjusting audio on the current video project. 

“Huh…” you muttered, tapping your chin in deep thought as you playbacked between the new and old audio track. Briefly pausing, you grabbed another pocky stick, offering and holding it for Troy to munch on, his lips brushing against your fingers. 

“You need to do something about those chapped lips, bruh,” you teased automatically, jumping when Troy nipped on your fingers when he finished the confectionery.

“Ow!” you feigned, knowing Troy had a stupid grin on his face. You got back at him by ruffling his hair with your free hand, ignoring the hiss emanating from the Calypso. He hooked his human arm under your right arm, resting his hand over yours that was madly moving on the computer mouse. You could feel the warmth of Troy’s red tattoos penetrating through your long sleeved sweater, helping a bit with the wrist cramp creeping up. A comfortable silence settled between you and Troy, only the noises of the keyboard and mouse clicking audible. Troy got cozy in his seat, leaning more against you and fully resting his head on your shoulder. He quietly observed you working, mimicking the mouse clicks by tapping on your hand. 

Annoyed, you flicked at his hand. 

He _pinched_ your wrist.

“Rude, I won’t give you any pocky,” you growled, adjusting your headphones, huffing. Troy snickered, patting your wrist in apology. It was an empty threat towards the Calypso considering he was the one ordering the pocky alongside other items for the studio crew. 

You took another pocky stick, nibbling on it for a bit before Troy appropriated and ate it. 

“Are you serious? Ugh…” you didn’t break eye contact with your computer screen while reaching towards him to pinch his nose.

“Gah!” Troy cried out, smacking your hand away.

“That’s what you get,” you stated, pushing your glasses up your nose bridge, “I have work to do.” Troy didn’t respond, only huffing at your comment. Had it been someone else, the individual most certainly would have lost a limb - worse - their life. You couldn’t recall the time these ‘odd’ interactions began between you and Troy started, only acknowledging that he would be the one initiating them, even in the presence of the other crew members. No one questioned it, more worried about their work than whatever the boss had in mind. If anything, you’d scold him for ruining your concentration with Troy sheepishly looking away and muttering a ‘sorry.’

Sighing, you pat him on the head, scratching for a bit, hearing him hum in approval. Adding the last touches to the video clip, you let the computer do the last stretch of work, rendering the final product as you leaned back on your chair, stretching your legs. 

“And now to wait,” you said, removing your headphones and placing them on your desk. Troy, anchored down on you, shifted in his spot to adjust to your new position. No words were exchanged as you waited on the computer. Pulling up the blanket covering your legs, you stared at Troy, the top of his hair only visible to you. Discarded on the floor not too far from your spot laid the Calypso’s giant mechanical arm and crazy-sized jacket. 

Whenever Troy and Tyreen would get into a heated argument, he’d venture into the studio and remove his mechanical arm and jacket, tossing them on the way to his makeshift office. Sometimes, he’d be too fed up and angry to notice anyone around him that, one time, he ended up tossing his jacket on you while you were editing. But that didn’t _stop_ you.

When Troy returned to retrieve it, he literally screamed upon finding you under the jacket. You, unfazed, turned around on your chair, removed your headphones and merely replied with a “What?” and then resumed your work, upset at being interrupted. 

One of your crew members mentioned to Troy that the others had managed to stack food boxes on top of your head. Present record: 9 boxes that toppled when you sneezed. Thankfully for the others, the boxes were empty and spared from your wrath. Current challenge set by Troy: How many sodas cans can be balanced on your head. 

Moments like those may have been why the Calypso decided to pester you when he was feeling down from a fight with Tyreen. You shrugged at anything, and never bothered to sugar coat any statements - very blunt. CoV followers would praise him to prevent his anger; you were snappy and kept him grounded. You knew when to talk, where to stop, and if Troy didn’t answer, you moved on and gave him space.

You provided a sense of _normalcy_ in the insane world of bandits. 

And inside the studio, Troy allowed himself to shed that God King persona with no fear of ridicule from you. 

“Hey… are you awake…?” you whispered, poking his arm. No movement, only the evened out breathing from Troy. 

“Huh, you fell asleep… _again_ ,” you shook your head, grabbing your blanket and tossing it over the Calypso’s sleeping form. He probably didn’t need it, but it was unnerving having him shirtless and snuggling up to you in the cold studio. Checking the status of the video, you sighed, lifting your legs up to rest on the edge of your trash can while continuing to wait.

Minutes passed and Troy remained asleep, using your shoulder as a pillow and keeping a tight grip on your right arm. You absentmindedly stroked his head, zoning out for a good portion of the time. A beep from the computer snapped you back to reality, the alert notifying you the video’s render was complete. Forgetting about Troy’s weight on your side, you pouted, unable to reach the keyboard from your current position.

“Ugh… come on…” you muttered, groaning in frustration. Determined, you pushed Troy’s chair with your own, rolling over to a corner of the studio where a worn-out futon laid. Throughout the trip, the Calypso was fast asleep. You carefully removed your arm from his grip, pushing his head back on the headrest of his chair. Making quick work, you lowered the arm rests, getting easier access to Troy. You grabbed his legs and placed them on the futon, then wrapped your arms around his chest and lifted him up, grunting at the weight of the man. 

“Good lord, you’re fucking heavy…” you hissed out, carefully laying him down, grabbing a throw pillow to put under his head. Double checking that nothing was out of place on the Calypso, you grabbed the blanket and tucked him in. Satisfied, you hopped over to retrieve his mechanical arm and jacket, tossing the latter over the futon and leaning the arm against the wall close to the bed for easier access. 

You stood up, out of breath, nodding, “And that’s that...” 

A buzz from your sweater’s side pocket spooked you. Glancing at the sleeping man, you took out your ECHOnet device, seeing a message from your crew. You messaged back promptly, putting away the device as you stared at Troy.

No response. 

You sat down at the edge of the futon, the metal frame squeaking a bit, “You shouldn’t let her ruin your day, you know?” 

Silence.

“The God Queen doesn’t know how hard we all work, especially you. Staying up late to make her videos are top-notch.”

Still asleep.

“Hm, I mean, I see you reeling her in whenever she goes off script in the livestreams,” you added, staring at your shoes in wonder, “Just cause she pulls off the cutesy look doesn’t mean she can get away with saying stupid shit on the air.”

You fiddled with your thumbs, unsure how to continue.

“...My crew and I respect your dedication,” you continued, voice low, “to your..goals.. So to speak…”

Silence.

“You don’t need her approval,” you cleared your throat, “Not in the sense of getting her ‘okay’ on things but more of… having her set your value. That came out wrong… thank goodness you're asleep…”

No stir from Troy.

“....” you stared at him for a minute before getting up from the futon. You disappeared into the backroom, coming out with a thicker blanket.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you around, boss,” you whispered, fixing up the extra blanket on him, “Sleep well.” You ventured to your workstation, checking and saving your completed work before turning off the computer. With a last glance on Troy, you exited the studio, dimming the lights further down. 

As you stepped out, Troy’s lips curled into a small smile.

Your presence never failed in comforting him.


	2. Loyalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remember those who stuck by in the difficult times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags: Established Troy/Reader, Cheating, Extreme Angst, Unhealthy Relationships, Mentions of Sex, Sibling Rivalry, Abandonment Issues, Ambiguous Situations, Power Imbalance, Mentions of Character Deaths
> 
> Setting: Eden-6, Jakobs Arc
> 
> Not beta-read. :)

The Siren known as Maya was gone.

Crumbled away from existence.

“I’m a freaking God!” Troy yelled, raising his arms up, “Hahaha! Look at this!” He phaselocked several items, making them dance around you. Nervous, you laughed alongside him. In an instant, the items fell, some of the breaking on impact.

“Oops, I guess I need some practice,” Troy grinned, walking by you as your gaze fell on a broken trinket. You scooped up the remains, grimacing. It was a small scrap robot you pieced together and gave to the Calypso as a gift.

Now in shambles.

“Yeah… seems like it…” you responded, placing the scraps on the night-stand, “Are you feeling okay?” Troy and Tyreen had returned from Promethea, the tall Calypso barging into his bedroom that he shared with you, extremely joyous with the news of his acquired Siren powers.

“Pft, of course!” Troy said, dumping his jacket on dresser, “Never felt better! You should have seen Ty’s face when I phaselocked the twerp that was with the Siren!” He eagerly recalled the aftermath of the fight with the Promethea Vault monster.

You noticed the ‘spark’ in his eyes as he showed you how the exchange happened, surprised how quickly his mood changed when he phaselocked more items in the room. He was usually shy at times, only speaking on cue by Tyreen during their LiveScreams, but in private he was more vocal – though this new revelation had him chatting up a storm. Happy to see him in a good mood, you smiled throughout his reenactment.

You and Troy became an item shortly after the conception of the CoV, one of the first bandits to join the cult. Tyreen tolerated your presence since you were assigned her old duties – the care of Troy’s cybernetics and mechanical arm. Aside from that, you provided moral support for the tall Calypso, a constant need due the sibling fights.

“It sure shut her up good!” he finished, wrapping his arms around you, “Now she can’t bully us around.” You hugged back, grateful that Troy wasn’t injured during the altercation with the Vault Hunters. The tidbit of Tyreen willingly letting go of Ava for Troy was surprising, a trait she hardly showed in public.

“Just… don’t go goading her,” you sternly looked up at the man, “Last thing the CoV needs is an all-out war between their gods.”

Troy rolled his eyes, “Fiiiine, but I get to pester her for a bit, deal?” He gave you his best ‘puppy’ eyes.

Snickering, you looked away, weak, “Okay, only for a while!”

“For a while,” Troy pinched your cheek, grinning.

You playfully nipped his hand, “For a while.”

\------0000000------

Troy pushed the limits of Tyreen’s patience, their fights escalating while both taunted the Vault Hunters via the EchoNet. It grew worse once the CoV shifted their focus in Eden-6, the dynamics between the twins growing more and more evident to their followers and outsiders.

“Why can’t she fucking understand that I’m trying to help?!” Troy pulled at his hair, “All I’m asking is for a bit of space to do my shit!” He sat down on the edge of his bed, extremely agitated.

The Calypso insisted in being more vocal about their plans and joining Tyreen in goading the Jakobs family.

“Troy, calm down,” you pleaded, a cup of warm tea ready in your hands, “Take a minute and relax, your grinding your teeth…” He caught himself in the act, stopping before rubbing his jaw. You were diligent in picking up his mood changes and the impact of it on his body. Troy silently thanked you as he grabbed the cup, taking small sips, feeling the soothing effect of the liquid.

You patted him on his arm, then hugged it, “Vault Hunters have been stressing the both of you lately…”

Troy set the cup down, rubbing his forehead, “…Yeah. I’ve told Ty to simply get rid of them but she wants the numbers for the EchoNet. Doesn’t help much one of the Vault Thieves is a Siren too.”

“Don’t overexert yourself, please,” you kissed his cheek. He returned the gesture.

“Once we get to the Great Vault, we won’t have to worry about anything else,” Troy said, lightly bumping his forehead against yours. You interlocked your fingers with his.

You smiled at him, “No matter what, I will be always be here for you, Troy.”

Troy smiled back, squeezing your hand, grateful.

Ever loyal.

\-----000000----

He didn’t return for the next three days, only answering sporadically your messages. No priests would give a concrete response for Troy’s disappearance, other than ‘business,’ leaving you worried. Before he and Tyreen left, he told you they were heading to the Jakobs Estate to meet with someone who knew the location of the Vault Key for Eden-6. You surmised it was a quick meeting, patiently waiting for him.

Tyreen showed up first to the outpost, “Oh, you’re here.” You gulped, nodding.

“…Is Troy-?”

“Look, let me tell ya that he is quite busy right now. Like, really, really _busy_ ,” Tyreen said, snorting, “Its downright disgusting if you ask me.”

“I-I don’t follow…” you confessed, not liking Tyreen’s tone. She would frequently tease you about Troy ‘sleeping’ with other people despite the man ceasing those actions when he got serious with you.

“Come on, do I have to spell it out to you?” Tyreen groaned, shaking her head, “Geez, you are dense!” She paused, smiling, “Why don’t you ask him who Aurelia is?” Tyreen giggled as she walked past you, leaving you alone at the docking area.

Your world came crumbling down. Aurelia? Who was Aurelia?

“T-That’s not true…” you whispered, your mind in the fritz. You couldn’t bear waiting at the docking area, retreating back to the room you shared with Troy. It felt like an eternity when the Calypso in question passed through the doors, yawning.

“Fuck, I’m beat!” Troy said, grinning when he saw you, “Hey! I didn’t see you at the docking area?” You rubbed your hands, uneasy.

“….Uh, yeah, sorry about that,” you said, “…I-“

“That place that me and Ty went, shit, swamp ass personified,” Troy cut you off as he removed his jacket. You eyed his back, seeing bruises and scratch marks.

“The Jakob Estate, ugh, giant maze,” he continued, removing his boots.

….

“Who is Aurelia?”

Troy stopped midway on his unlocking his mechanical arm, his gaze quickly on you.

You stared back, unwavering, “Who is Aurelia?”

He looked away, growling, “Fucking Tyreen…”

“You didn’t answer my question…” you said, getting upset, “Is that why you never bothered answering my messages?”

“Mind your own business,” Troy hissed at you. Shocked, you got up from your seat, not believing his response.

“Mind my own business?! I’m over here worried about you while you are fucking someone else?!” you shouted, fists clenched. Troy immediately stood up, glaring down at you.

“I’m not some goddamn weakling that needs to be check in constantly!” Troy yelled back, “You are fucking suffocating me!” He scared himself, realizing what he had said. You were breathing heavily, biting your lip hard, blood oozing out.

“H-Hey..”

You shoved past him, yanking your arm off his grasp when he tried grabbing it, storming off.

“Sorry for giving a **_shit_** about you…” you spat out, slamming the door.

Troy slept alone that night.

\------0000000-----

Troy stuck around the outpost after the incident in the bedroom, stopping short of apologizing for his outburst. You refused to sleep with him, furious that he had broken his promise of being loyal to you. Any silent gesture for affection were ignored, disgust building up in you.

“It was a one-time thing,” Troy tried to explain, “A business transaction, that’s all!”

You didn’t believe him, hurt.

But you remained by his side. The tension, however, remained. Little by little, you began ‘believing’ that it was a one-time _fling_ until you caught him talking to this ‘Aurelia.’

Her voice exuded the classiness of an elite, rich woman. You didn’t need to see her face to understand she was in a higher league than you, her posh dialect easily swaying Troy under your nose. There was more going on between them, your existence no longer relevant to the Calypso.

Soon, Troy would go off late at night towards the Jakobs Estate under the pretext of ‘business,’ dealing with the remaining Jakobs family members, or searching for the Eden-6 Vault key.

“I’m fucking sure he’s searching for it between her legs…” you muttered, holding back a sob.

And yet you remained, waiting on him.

\-----000000-----

“…What does she have that I don’t?”

“What?” Troy glanced at you as put on his boots. He was heading out again to the Jakobs Estate in the middle of the night. You had woken up from his lame attempt to be quiet while getting ready.

“What does she have that I don’t?” you asked, knowing it would be detrimental to yourself.

“Do you really want to go that route?” Troy admonished, checking his jacket’s pockets.

“Does she know what to do when you get a pinched nerve because of your cybernetic spine implant?” you asked, fighting back tears, “Or when you need to get your arm calibrated manually?”

Troy clenched his fists, “Stop…”

“What about that gash under your shoulder brace? Has she even cleaned it?!”

“Stop… Just stop….” Troy pleaded.

“Don’t be a fucking a coward and tell me!” you yelled, “I have the right to know!”

“She has **_power_**! I have power now, rivaling Tyreen’s!” Troy yelled back, “You can’t compare to any of that. You don’t have nothing to offer!”

“…Have a safe trip,” you muttered, covering yourself more with a blanket as you faced away from Troy. He didn’t bother responding as he left.

\------00000------

You hardly slept in the bedroom you shared with Troy, old memories dampening your mood. Despite that, you were still drawn back there over and over again. During your last visit, you stumbled into Troy who was packing up.

“….You’re leaving again?” you asked. He didn’t bother notifying you of his arrival.

“Yeah, and?” he spat out, irritated. Both of you were exhausted from the fights.

“….Please don’t go,” you begged, tears threatening to fall. He looked at you with disbelief.

Troy shook his head, “You don’t order me around. I’ve had enough of Tyreen doing that.”

“I worry about you, Troy,” you attempted to reason, in vain. The Crimson Raiders had gained ground in Eden-6 with the help of the Vault Hunters and Wainwright Jakobs. Fights across the planet were increasing in numbers.

“You’re weak, always been,” Troy said, annoyed.

Tears won, blurring your vision as you sobbed, “I know… I just…”

“See? You’re crying,” the Calypso huffed, carrying his bag and walking past you, “Pathetic.”

He ignored your pleas to stay.

\-----000000------

“You look like shit.”

You jumped, your neatly folded clothes falling to the floor. The new uninvited guest walked in, whistling a cheerful tune. Tyreen eyed you with curiosity.

“Still sleeping here? You know he’s not coming back for a while,” Tyreen taunted as your expression soured, “I guess your relationship with Troy has gone **_frigid_**.” She snickered at the observation, watching you tear through a shirt in anger.

Moving away from Tyreen who sat down on the bed, you picked up the remains of your forgotten scrap robot. Night after night you worked painstakingly to fix it up, a cruel reminder of the ‘innocent’ days of your relationship with Troy.

“Ever loyal or just plain stupid,” Tyreen said, “Which one will it be, I wonder?” You looked away, biting back on the urge to unleash a barrage of insults directed to the God Queen. Being caught between the tiny shred of hope that Troy would come back to you and resignation that someone else bested you for the spot next to him, you hated the truth behind Tyreen’s words.

“…I don’t know…” you whispered, crushing what little remained of the scrap robot.

Tyreen smirked, biting her lip. Troy was no longer around to protect you. She didn’t like getting other people’s leftovers, especially her brother’s.

But the God Queen could make an exception in this case, itching to take a bite of delicious _salty_ food standing before her.

\----000000----

The Baroness wad dead, done in by the Vault Hunters aiding Wainwright Jakobs. When the news arrived to the CoV, there was little fanfare considering Aurelia’s distaste for the bandits. Troy, by his part, lamented that the trysts and late-night rendezvous at the Jakobs Estate were over – even if he disliked the woman’s constant chats about annoying her brother, Alistair Hammerlock, who ironically was in a relationship with the heir to the Jakob Corporation, Wainwright.

On his way back to the main Eden-6 CoV outpost, he reflected on the progress of his new powers at the Anvil with the Anointed, grinning to himself of the sexual positions he invented using Phaselock courtesy of Aurelia’s participation. Although he enjoyed the intimate, power play interactions, he couldn’t help noticing the severe lack of aftercare. Despite his roguish, brute appearance, the Calypso relished in giving loving affection – a proposition immediately shot down by Aurelia on their first encounter. He chose to ignore this even as he slowly became irritated during and after the sexual acts. Troy wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt that, somehow, she’d come around and change.

That’s when it _hit_ him.

He had set Aurelia to a standard she’d never attain.

A standard that had been set by **_you_**.

Troy rubbed his forehead, gritting his teeth. The last time he saw you, he left you crying as you begged him not to leave. At that time, he viewed your groveling as pathetic, belittling you in the process, high with his newfound powers. Finally equal to Tyreen.

_You smiled at him, “No matter what, I will be always be here for you, Troy.”_

Now, he was gripping with the fact he likely ruined something good. Was it salvageable?

….

But he is a god! Surely, you’d understand the situation after all this time. Right? You did state you’d be there for him! You were always there waiting for him whenever he came back from the Jakobs Estate.

ALWAYS.

Taking out his EchoNet device, he glanced through his old, unread messages, seeing your earlier attempts to contact him – ignored.

.:UNREAD MESSAGES FROM USER ????:.

.:Troy, please answer.

.:I know you’re with her. Just please answer.

.:Please don’t do this to me.

.:The Vault Hunters are near the area, are you okay?

.:Troy, please tell me you’re okay.

.:I’m sorry.

Troy felt his throat tighten as he wrote a quick message, sending it off.

.:MESSAGE SENT:.

.:Troy: Hey, I’m on my way.

.:Troy: See you soon.

.:Troy: :)

“Ah, stupid, stupid, don’t sen- I sent the smiley face… ugh…” Troy berated himself, tossing the EchoNet device across his seat. Anxious, he stared at the device from a far.

No answer.

He waited.

No answer.

“…She’s probably asleep,” Troy said, glancing out the window. The Calypso began to imagine you sleeping, resting for the day in his expansive bed back in the outpost. **Alone.**

All this time.

“….Yeah, she’s definitely asleep…” he whispered as his ride reached its destination. He picked up his EchoNet device, regaining his composure when a priest opened the door to his ride, allowing him to step out. Fanatics congregated around him, shouting praises. He ignored them, speedwalking into the compound and beelining for his room. Making his way there, nothing stood out of place. He swallowed hard upon reaching his room, human hand holding the door knob with a tight grip. No sound from the other side.

“…..” Troy opened slowly the door, walking inside, “H-Hey, I didn’t want to wake you….. up….?”

No occupants in bed.

Troy looked around, glancing at the wide-open bathroom door. No one in there as well. The room was tidy, well-kept as it usually was by your doing. But something felt _off._

Various trinkets belonging to Troy adorned the walls, a corner desk had the remains of an old project of his, and a bookshelf contained comic books he collected during his travels remained untouched. **Too untouched.** Troy approached the bookshelf, staring at the top section of it.

Empty.

“….” Panic rose in Troy.

The top section of the bookshelf contained tokens of affections you had given Troy throughout the years, now gone. Troy rushed over to his dresser, opening a drawer that flew off its rail. His clothes were visible in the bottom drawer but all your clothes were missing. He went over to another drawer. Your clothes gone. He ran over to the closet, all of your items gone.

“No.. no… no…” Troy muttered to himself as he desperately started to look around for any clues. The room had been left untouched for quite some time, a thin layer of dust present.

_Ping!_

“H-Huh?!” Troy froze.

_Ping!_

“Under the bed..!” Troy knelt down, hearing the faint ‘ping.’ He managed to grab a device, standing up. **Your EchoNet device.** The ‘ping’ emanated from it, the screen displaying ‘Low Battery!’

Troy’s messages went to a dying device – ignored.

Just how your messages went unread on his.

_You smiled at him, “No matter what, I will be always be here for you, Troy.”_

“….you promised,” Troy hissed out, betrayed, “You promised you’d be here for me…”

“Promise on what?”

Troy turned around, meeting Tyreen’s gaze. His sister was leaning against the doorframe of his bedroom, a smirk plastered on her lips. It was the last thing Troy needed at this time.

“Why the long face, Troy?” Tyreen snickered, “Surprising finding you around these parts after you shacked up with Aurelia.” Troy glared at her, holding your EchoNet device tight.

“Where is she?” Troy asked, taking deep breaths.

“Who? Aurelia? You know she’s dead,” Tyreen rolled her eyes, shaking her head, “I figured you’d be the first one to know considering you two were at each other-“

“WHERE IS SHE?!” Troy yelled, a little too hard, “Her things are gone…!”

The God Queen raised her eyebrows, the smirk never gone, “Oh! You meant your **_other_ **bedwarmer! Silly me!” She laughed, smacking her own knee in glee.

“Tyreen….” Troy growled out. There was no way she’d let someone leave the CoV.

“How the fuck should I know? I’m not her babysitter,” Tyreen shrugged, sticking her tongue out, “I got better things to do with my time than sit around and watch that mess of a woman spiral out of control.”

“W-What?”

Tyreen clapped her hands once, “Oh, I forgot. You weren’t around for that. Pft, once again, silly me! Wonderful performance I must say, the waterworks and all!”

_You smiled at him, “No matter what, I will be always be here for you, Troy.”_

Troy stared down at the floor.

“Hm, I should have livestreamed it. Imagine the hits we could have gotten!” Tyreen continued, eager, “’Bedwarmer gets pranked by God-King Troy!’ and the text at the bottom would say, ‘She believed she was the one for him!’ with shots of her just sitting on the bed, waiting and waiting!”

Troy jumped when Tyreen cackled. He was too stunned to say anything.

**You had left.**

_You smiled at him, “No matter what, I will be always be here for you, Troy.”_

**_You had truly left._ **

_Troy, please answer._

Tyreen kept on laughing, grabbing on to the doorframe.

_Troy, please don’t do this to me._

“Shut up…” Troy hissed out.

“Wha?” Tyreen paused, wiping her tears.

_I’m sorry._ That had been your last message. Sorry for what? Waiting on him? Leaving him?

“SHUT UP!” Troy yelled, “What did you do Tyreen?!”

Tyreen appeared offended, “Me? What did I do? Don’t you dare pin this on me! I’m not the one who got all high and mighty and shit after getting some Siren powers. ‘Look at me everyone, I’m God-King Troy!’” She wheezed at the last stretch of sentence, unfazed by Troy’s glare.

“You wouldn’t let someone close to us leave so easily….” Troy countered, hoping that Tyreen had sent you away. But he watched in horror as Tyreen’s expression darkened.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Tyreen grinned, “Someone with intimate knowledge of us? On the loose? I simply cannot have that, Troy.” Her grin grew devilish.

“….You… You…” Troy couldn’t say it.

“Took her life energy? Maybe?” Tyreen taunted, smiling, “Can’t recall, but I’m sure she’s gone for good. You know how it is, I tend to go through many bandits a day to satisfy my hunger!” She cackled, watching Troy grow pale, “I should have kept a chunk of her as a memento for you!”

“Y-You’re lying…” Troy said, clenching his fists, “Y-You’re lying, Ty.” Tyreen was cruel, but _not_ that cruel to someone that had been with them since the beginning of the CoV.

Right?

The God Queen approached him, smirking while shaking her head, “Ah, poor Troy. So delusional… How’s the reality check going? God-King?” She delivered a swift punch on his stomach, causing Troy to fall to his knees, the electronic device on his hands flying off. He sharply sucked in air as Tyreen grabbed him by his chin, her face inching close.

“You’re usually the one keeping me in line, **_parasite_** ,” Tyreen growled out, “But I’m so delighted to have the opportunity to do the same back at you.”

“T-Tyreen…” Troy was cut off when Tyreen tightened her grip on his chin. Extreme fear was present in his eyes.

“Let this serve as a reminder never to usurp me in the spotlight,” the God Queen bared her fangs, “I took something of yours since you tried to take something of mine.” She pushed him away, giggling as Troy scrambled to stand up. Despite his new powers, Tyreen showed who truly was in charge.

“No.. no… no… no….” Troy muttered, yelping when Tyreen stepped on your EchoNet device on her way out of his room, cracking the screen. Sparks flew from it, the device dying out.

The last piece of your existence destroyed, in shambles.

\------0000000-------

The God Queen hummed along the way to her own personal quarters, in a good mood after leaving Troy’s area. She dismissed the priests guarding the entrance, wanting no one around. As she stepped inside the bedroom area, she was cautious in her footsteps. Discarding her regal jacket and boots, she tip-toed over to her bed where a bulky form laid. Pressing the back of her hand against soft skin, the form squirmed.

You rubbed your eyes, sleepy, “….Tyreen?”

Your response was a peck on the forehead, a silent order to go back to sleep. Tyreen pushed the blankets up, tucking you in as you got comfortable again. The God Queen ventured to her bathroom, ready to settle for the night. The last of her agenda was complete: greeting her brother and taunting him about you.

_You’re lying, Tyreen._

Tyreen whistled a cheerful tune, turning on the water to fill up her bathtub. While she waited, she observed you from inside the bathroom. A content expression was on your face, cheeks pink – a stark contrast to your earlier appearance weeks ago: Wailing and face red with anger.

You were stubborn in leaving Troy despite the latter’s actions of casting you aside. Ever devoted, you waited for his return, Tyreen bearing witness to it. But everyone has their **limits**. She watched on as you stood vigil, stupidly hopeful that Troy would answer back his messages. Each passing day eroded your will.

Eventually, you snapped.

_Tyreen came upon you throwing every single article of yours in boxes with CoV followers hauling them out. She didn’t stop or question you, letting you go about your business, mostly amused by the events. A large fire pit had been set out in the courtyard where you doused the items in gasoline, setting the boxes on fire. The last box you carried out was filled with handmade items Tyreen recognized, Troy always showing them off to her every chance he could._

_You approached the fire, turning the box over and dumping its contents out. A blank expression greeted Tyreen when you turned around and walked over to her._

_“I’m ready,” you said, void of emotion._

_“Ready for what?” Tyreen asked, grinning._

_You shrugged, “I want to leave the CoV, but I know you won’t let me. So, do your thing, I guess.”_

_This took the God Queen by surprise. You went from a bubbly, crazed bandit in love to a crying mess and now reduced to an empty shell. You had come to terms with your fate in Tyreen’s hands._

_“Its true. I can’t allow your departure,” Tyreen chuckled, lifting her Siren hand up, her tattoos glowing dim. She watched for a reaction on your part. **Nothing**. You only stared at her hand, waiting._

_“But I’m not that cruel, even you know that,” she continued. Her façade in the Let’s Flays and LiveScreams were for ‘entertainment’ purposes. She viewed her fights with Troy as simple sibling banter._

_“…Just get on with it,” you responded, exhausted, “I’m done waiting on a Calypso.”_

_Tyreen flicked her wrist, her energy dissipated as she took your hand, “Well, that’s because you were waiting on the **wrong** Calypso.” You blinked, quiet at the confession. She led you away from the bonfire, back to her personal quarters, allowing you to fully break down as she comforted you. Not once did the God Queen make fun of you. She held you in her arms while you cursed Troy’s name, delirious for his return, acceptance of his betrayal, and finally coming to terms with the abandonment. _

When you tried to leave Tyreen’s room that day, she was adamant for you to stay the night. You relented, but embarrassed at having no spare clothes, the remains scattered in the bonfire. She loaned you clothing, _pampered_ you with massages, and ordered for the finest dishes to be cooked. All and in all, you sheepishly accepted, believing this was a set-up for the inevitable when she’d kill you. But nothing.

Days went by, your attention slowly diverting to the God Queen. She kept up with the sadistic appearances in public but in private, Tyreen gushed over you. Once or twice, you’d hear Troy over the EchoNet when she’d dial him in, blocking out whatever conversation both were having from your mind upon hearing Aurelia’s voice in the background.

_“Is he ever coming back?” you asked Tyreen while brushing her hair._

_She glanced up at you, curious, “Still miss him?”_

_“No,” you replied, shrugging, cutting the conversation short._

Tyreen dried her hair, tossing the towel aside as she grabbed her hairbrush. When Troy messaged her that he was heading back to the outpost, you were the first to be informed. At the time, you were preparing for bed, briefly pausing upon hearing the news.

“ _Oh, good for him, I guess_ ,” you got comfortable with your blankets, bidding Tyreen a ‘good night’ before falling asleep. Part of her expected for you to cry or get nervous. She chuckled at your contempt for her brother.

You were no longer **loyal** to him, seeing his true colors when he abandoned you for someone else. A _fling_. She pitied you, in her own weird way, since you spent many years with Troy and looked after him – none of that having meaning to her brother in the end.

Tyreen got into bed, wrapping an arm around your form, resting her head above yours. You instinctively squeezed her hand in your sleep, sighing. The God Queen kissed the top of your head, satisfied with her handiwork.

“Can’t wait to see Troy’s face when he sees you with me,” Tyreen whispered, “All mine…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I amaze myself how quickly I can write an angst piece to destress myself. Work has been kicking my butt so this is what I spew out. :D 
> 
> Kudos and comments feed this tiny gremlin. :v


	3. Loyalty: Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes its better to let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags: Past Troy/Reader, Past Troy/Aurelia, Tyreen/Reader Vague Friendship, Unhealthy Relationships, Emotional Abuse, Extreme Angst, Friends with Benefits, Mentions of Cheating, Ambiguous Situations, Sibling Rivalry
> 
> Setting: Eden-6 and Pandora
> 
> Not beta read, so expect a lot of errors. :D

The bedroom felt too empty and big, void of any warmth he took for granted. As he stared at old messages in EchoNet device, Troy fought back the urge to cry in anger. After the confrontation with Tyreen, he searched further around in his room for anything left behind that belonged to you.

No such luck.

Frantic, he tried to salvage content from your EchoNet device only to find the majority of photos and messages wiped out – all those pertaining to him. All that remained were few ‘selfie’ shots of yourself that were blurred or featured sceneries from Pandora. **You essentially erased whatever evidence there was of your relationship with Troy.**

“Fuck…” Troy muttered, covering his face with his human hand, “Fucking hell…”

And the cherry on top: Tyreen vaguely implied she killed you to spite him.

And Troy wasn’t around to stop it.

“…..” A sob escaped the man. What had been your last seconds of life? Screaming and cursing his name? Happy to be done waiting on him? Alone with Tyreen? Despite the fights, he never wanted to or wish for harm to befell you. He just….

He just fucked up.

He fucked up _big time_.

“I thought you’d be here,” Troy whispered to no one. Waiting and waiting on him, ever loyal and devoted.

**While he was with someone else.**

_“Please don’t go,” you begged, crying._

_“You’re weak,” Troy hissed out._

He felt his chest tighten, remembering the hurtful words he spat out at you.

_“What does she have that I don’t?” you asked, on the verge of tears._

_“She has power. I have power equal to Tyreen’s,” he said, irritated, “You have nothing.”_

“Damnit…” He sobbed again, Tyreen’s taunts echoing in his head.

You were gone **.**

\-----000000-----

Troy forced himself awake, feeling stiff all over his body. Unable to sleep well last night, his mood was at all-time low. He ignored the tossed drawers of his dresser, kicking them away from his path as he dragged himself to get spare clothes.

**Those drawers should have been filled with women’s clothing: Yours.**

He entered the bathroom, eyeing the sink and various shelves. Yellow quirky duck ornaments decorated every nook and cranny of the bathroom – all of the them **gone**. You and Troy had collected the ducks while in Pandora, rare items that were treasured and kept by some bandits that controlled part of the Arid Badlands. Said bandits were killed by your hands as a 3 year- anniversary gift towards the Calypso.

“…..” Troy angrily flung his clothes across the bathroom, turning on the faucet sink and splashing water on his face. Glancing up, his hair was a mess, eyes bloodshot and eyebags more pronounced. Growling, he punched the mirror with his mechanical arm.

_Ping!_

He dried his face while heading to his bed, retrieving his EchoNet device to check on the message.

.:AUTOMATED MESSAGE:.

.:Four months are up! Time for an implant check-up! No ‘buts’ mister, get your ass down to the medics! I’ll be there with ya! :D

A scheduled reminder you set up for his cybernetic implants. Troy threw the device away from him, not caring where it landed.

You’d be with him during those medical check-ups as the Calypso was terrified of needles and medical instruments, though he wasn’t vocal about it. Your presence was reassuring.

_Was._

Troy stormed off, feeling overwhelmed in his own bedroom.

\----000000-----

“Trying out a new look, Troy?” Tyreen smiled as she rolled around in her chair, “Very edge lord, hehe.”

He didn’t bother responding, extremely angry at his sister. The Vault Hunters had defeated the Eden-6 Vault monster, the twins taking opportunity to kidnap Tannis. Plans were changing constantly with setbacks – they were unable to obtain the power of the monster although Tyreen wasn’t too angry about it as she led on during an EchoNet exchange with Lilith.

“You win some, you lose some, amirite, Troy?” Tyreen goaded, laughing.

“What are you on about?” Troy growled, annoyed. He wanted to yell, scream at her for killing you. It was pissing him off that she was nonchalant about it despite your familiarity with the twins.

“Oh, someone’s testy,” she smiled, “I guess when you don’t have your bedwarmer, you get antsy, eh?”

He narrowed his eyes, “Tyreen….”

“My condolences about Aurelia,” the God Queen continued, “Great business partner, great fuck-“

“Shut your mouth!” Troy barked out, spooking the priests and followers around them. Tyreen rested her hand on her cheek, still smiling and unfazed.

“Hm? Struck a nerve?” she laughed, “Man, I wonder what gets more of a reaction out of you: Aurelia or the little bandit you left behind?”

“…..” He was breathing hard, furious. Not wanting to cause a bigger scene, he left the meeting room. Tyreen laughed, enjoying her brother’s pain.

“Wow, go off I guess, hehehe,” Tyreen called out, “Save some energy for when we have to fight the Vault Thieves!”

\------0000000-----

Sitting motionless while getting poked and prodded by medical instruments tested the limit of Troy’s patience. He had a hard time coping, alone, with the sterile smell of the medic room, the high-pitched beeps from the monitors, and the whirring of the cleaning brushes.

Every four months his cybernetic implants had to be cleaned and calibrated to ensure optimal performance. During the check-ups, you’d sit with him, holding his hand while several medics worked on his implants. _He had no one to comfort him._ The medics worked fast to get Troy out quickly, no one saying anything to him for fear of punishment.

After the check-up, he returned to his room that laid in disarray, nursing the lingering pain by himself.

_“Don’t be such a baby,” you teased him, “You’re only acting like that so you can get more kisses from me, right?”_

“Maybe,” Troy responded to no one.

_“Ha! I knew it!” you laughed, gently ruffling his hair, “I can see right through your nefarious plan, Troy Calypso!”_

“….” Troy eyed the empty side of the bed where you’d normally laid on. He turned around, facing away, hugging himself.

\------00000000------

The view of Eden-6 from space was beautiful compared to what the planet actually looked like. Troy, glad to be leaving, turned his seat away from the window to avoid looking at it any longer. CoV business was over and so was Troy with everything that happened there.

The Vault. Jakobs. _Aurelia_.

….

**You**.

He couldn’t get over the last one.

Giggling broke his train of thought. Annoyed, he glanced over to where Tyreen was sitting. She had been quiet for the beginning of the trip back to Pandora until now, engrossed at whatever was on her EchoNet device. She ceased her taunts against Troy to his surprise.

Tyreen lifted her device up, winking while making a victory sign. A quick flash appeared and her attention turned back on the device. Troy slumped in his seat, wishing he could spontaneously combust himself or his sister. Sensing his Siren tattoos burning into the armrest, he forced himself to calm down.

“Hehehe…”

Cursing under his breath, Troy glared at Tyreen, itching to tell her to shut up. Sensing him, she glanced up, sticking her tongue out before looking down.

_“Don’t let her get under your skin,” you advised, “If she sees a reaction, she’ll keep goading you!”_

Keep calm and collected, your commonly used technique to deal with Tyreen, not giving into impulse to lash out at her. Majority of his impulse control left with you, unfortunately. He kept glaring at Tyreen, the latter largely ignoring him.

Sick of her presence, he got up and ventured over to another area of the ship, hoping their destination was close. As Pandora came into view, Troy felt dread clawing inside him. How was he going to explain to the rest of your crew that Tyreen killed you? Over your decision to call it quits with him? He dug his fingers into his cheeks, hissing from the pain.

They certainly would demand an explanation, though an ugly thought wormed its way into Troy’s mind: He’s the _freaking ‘_ God-King,’ he didn’t owe anyone an explanation.

**_Just like you did with her, right?_ **

Troy smacked the side of his head, getting angry with himself. No, your crew is **loyal** to him as well regardless if you aren’t around.

**_Will they stick around like she did after finding out the truth?_ **

“....” Troy signaled for a technician to turn on the video feed of the landing dock. The usual, crazed crowd of followers congregated, holding up signs of the Calypsos. As the ship prepared to land, Troy’s eyes caught sight of someone, shocked.

You were standing alongside your crew with a fire skag patiently sitting by. The skag was a Pandoran pet you and Troy raised from a pup, leaving it behind when you both went to Promethea and then Eden-6. Your crew departed after talking to you, leaving you alone with the skag. The Calypso’s gaze bore deep in you through the video feed, seeing a smile present on your face.

Prancing footsteps approached him, followed by giggling.

Troy turned towards Tyreen, furious, gritting his teeth, “You told me you killed her….”

Tyreen snorted, “I never made such claim. I did say she was gone for good – from Eden-6 that is.” She laughed, shoving past him to go to the catwalk connecting the ship to the docking area. He walked faster, pushing through to exit the ship. Immediately the troves of the followers swarmed Troy, the man growling to deter them.

He made his way over to you, your smile never faltering. You patted the fire skag who immediately got excited with Troy’s presence, “Go on, Junior.” The skag roared, galloping towards Troy, happy to see its master.

“Oof!” Troy caught Junior, laughing, “You’ve gotten bigger!” Sloppy wet kisses greeted him as Troy tried to stand up. He rubbed the skag’s belly, seeing your boots from the down view approaching.

“How was your trip?” you asked.

Troy freaked out on the spot, “It was go-“

“It went well!” Tyreen answered from behind Troy.

You sidestepped Troy, heading towards the God Queen, “Good to hear, I hope you’re hungry. I whipped up something special.” Troy glanced back, breathing heavily. Tyreen was holding your hand, grinning while you smiled at her. **What the hell was going on?**

“Aw, you shouldn’t have,” Tyreen cooed, reaching to pinch your cheek, “I don’t know, maybe I will have room for seconds and _eat_ you up!” She offered her arm, allowing you to wrap yours around it, leading you away. You whistled for Junior, calling the skag to follow. The skag looked at Troy and then back at you, hesitant but decided to heed the command.

Troy needed answers now **.**

\------0000000-------

He wanted to scream and crush someone’s head, particularly Tyreen’s. Since his arrival to Pandora, you were ignoring him, directing questions and responses to the God Queen. Troy was not able to get you alone to talk, his sister orbiting around you. He caught a break when walking in on Tyreen and you talking in a private garden.

“You need to explain yourself!” Troy barked out, angry and hurt, “Everything of yours was gone from Eden-6, fuck, and Tyreen even implied she killed you!”

“Did you?” you asked Tyreen who shrugged.

“Once again, I made no such claim. I only told him you were _gone_ ,” Tyreen gestured towards you, “Not my fault he thought I killed you when saying that.”

“You still haven’t answered my question…” Troy growled, trying to keep his temper in check.

“About?” you asked, annoyed.

“I came back to the Eden-6 outpost and all your belongings were gone, everything,” Troy grabbed his head, “Came here to Pandora to find you alive, ignoring me, and all of a sudden you’re _fucking_ Tyreen?!”

“ _Woah_ ,” Tyreen whistled, “That was **intense** , Troy.” The God Queen was delighted by this recent turn of events.

You crossed your arms, unfazed by his outburst, “Whatever I do is none of your business, Troy.”

“None of my business?!” Troy slammed his mechanical fist on a concrete column, a crack heard, “God fucking damnit, it is my business when you are sleeping with my sister behind my back!”

“How?” you questioned, getting angry, “You and I aren’t together to begin with.” Shock and fear were evident on Troy’s face.

**_What._ **

****

“Oh!” Tyreen giggled, “I may have forgotten to tell him that _little_ detail back in Eden-6.” Troy glared at his sister, growling.

“Of course you would,” you rolled your eyes, sighing, “I thought seeing my things gone was enough of a hint that I’m through with you, Troy.”

“W-What?” Troy couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “This has to be joke…”

“It’s a joke alright,” you narrowed your eyes, “The joke of a relationship we both had.”

“N-No…” Troy shook his head, “T-Tyreen doesn’t even love you!” Tyreen, a spectator, looked on, wondering what your response will be, excited.

“ **Well, at least you have something else in common with your sister** ,” you said, calm, briefly glancing at Tyreen, “I’m going to bed.” She waved at you while you left the garden, stopping Troy from following you.

“Tyreen…!” Troy pushed her back, but the God Queen didn’t budge.

“You heard her, she’s going to bed,” Tyreen smiled, “Not nice to keep a lady from her beauty sleep.” She laughed when Troy picked her up by the collar.

“You fucking bitch… to think you tried to pull something like this….!” Troy hissed out.

She patted his arm, “Oh, Troy. You really are in denial. She told you, she’s done with you.”

He tossed her down while she laughed at her brother.

“She and I entered a very _cozy_ partnership while you were ‘busy’ with Aurelia,” Tyreen continued, seeing Troy breathing heavily, “Although, she did this out of her own volition. I didn’t threaten her or anything.”

“…..”

“Who was I to deny her a comforting shoulder to cry on as her lover continuously lied to her and laid in bed with someone else?” Tyreen poetically recited, “I was filled with sorrow watching as she kept waiting and waiting for her lover to return, but alas her lover spurned her.”

_Please don’t do this to me._

“Shut up….” Troy pulled at his hair.

_I’m sorry._

Tyreen cackled.

\-------000000000------

He acquired a new companion in such a short notice: his toilet. Troy threw up, heavily emotional and disgusted. Tears burned his eyes as he emptied his stomach out, sobbing. Like in Eden-6, anything that belonged to you was gone from the spaces you shared with Troy. He was overwhelmed seeing the empty spots around his bedroom, small workshop, and lounging rooms.

“Fuck… fucking damnit…” Troy felt bile rise up, emptying it out into the toilet. Whenever he’d get sick, you were always there to ensure he wouldn’t get hurt, in worse cases dragging him to bed to provide fluids. Now, he had no one to call for help. Tyreen would laugh at him and leave him in the bathroom. He couldn’t afford for priests to see him this way.

_“It’s a joke alright,” you narrowed your eyes, “The joke of a relationship we both had.”_

“It wasn’t,” Troy sobbed out, throwing up again. He was over his head with the Siren powers he acquired from Maya, feeling invincible and powerful for once in a long time and not having to rely on Tyreen. The trip to the Jakobs Estate had been for CoV business purposes, he never intended for things to get out of hand.

_“So, we got a deal?” Tyreen asked as Aurelia flipped through a hologram screen, “We aid you in taking over the Jakobs Corporation and you give us the Vault key.”_

_“Simple enough as long as your brainless followers do what they are tasked with,” Aurelia said, huffing, “It’s bad enough dealing with the swamp people that inhabit this backwater planet.”_

_Troy was busy phaselocking grapes, making them fall inside his mouth. He snickered at this new trick, proceeding to stack books together with it._

_“They’ll get the job done, plus they are expendable,” Troy added, laughing, “Your brother is already locked up, guarded by one of my Anointed.”_

_Aurelia observed Troy continue using his powers, intrigued._

_“I presume that’s phaselock? The Siren, Maya, that was her power,” Aurelia observed, “So the rumors are true then.” Troy phaselocked several items lying about in the floor, giving the Baroness a closer look at the Siren power. Tyreen watched the interaction, strangely quiet._

_“Yep, pretty neat, heh,” Troy showed off more, “Completely wasted on that blue-haired chick, ha!”_

_Aurelia was extremely enthralled with the phaselock show. Troy, on the other hand, was curious about her ‘ice’ powers after witnessing the woman freeze up several psychos that mingled too close to the dealing room._

_Tyreen observed them both from a distance as Aurelia and Troy made small talk. Her brother approached her, grinning like an idiot._

_“I’m going to stay behind, Ty,” Troy said, glancing back at Aurelia, “Rich lady said she’d show me more about her ice powers.” Although she’d normally make a comment about his face, her cheerful demeanor never returned, baffling Troy._

_“…Don’t do something stupid Troy,” Tyreen whispered, and with that she left him behind. He thought she meant jeopardizing the CoV deal with Aurelia._

_When in fact it was about sleeping with their business partner while his lover longed for his return._

**Of all people, Tyreen was the one who warned him**. Being with a Twin God, you dealt with a barrage of death threats from fellow CoV followers who wished for a chance to be in your spot plus being under Tyreen’s constant scrutiny. You weathered all of it for Troy’s sake.

However, all it took was simple action from Troy’s part to bring you down.

\-------000000000-------

“Who’s a good boy?” you asked Junior, rubbing his skag belly, “Who’s a good boy! You are!” Troy approached the outdoor pen set for the skag, keeping his distance from you. Junior, upon sensing the man, rolled up, trotting over to the fence to greet him.

“How’s it going buddy?” Troy walked inside the pen, inspecting Junior who gleefully licked him, “Shoot, you’ve gotten chubbier, did you eat more psychos while we were gone?”

_We._

You briefly paused the clean-up, shaking your head, then resumed. It didn’t go unnoticed by the Calypso. Junior patted the ground, sensing its masters’ mood change. You swept up bone remains, dumping them in a large trash bin. Troy saw the containers of large meat cuts, eyeing you.

“Want me to hang the meats?” Troy asked, hoping he didn’t sound anxious.

You kept sweeping, shrugging in response. Not the proper answer he hoped for, but at least it was something. He picked up the large container, Junior following him towards the metal hooks inside a shed. You tidied up the area, removing all the rotting bone piles. Troy hung the meat cuts, Junior patiently waiting for the man to finish.

Although you had removed every single item that you shared with Troy, ironically, something lingered about: Junior, the skag.

The skag had been hand-raised by you and Troy as a pup after the latter accidentally ran over the parents while chasing a bandit leader during the early days of the CoV.

_“How about Troy… Junior?” you snickered when Troy’s eyebrows shot up, “Pup has the split jaws like you!” The pup squirmed in Troy’s grasp._

_“Are you seriously considering naming the skag after me?” Troy asked, exasperated but amused. He poked the pup’s jaws, watching it split open and gently gnaw on his finger._

_“See, I think it likes it!” you gushed over them, taking out your EchoNet device, “Don’t move- got it! My new EchoNet saver, ehehe.”_

_Troy laughed, lifting the pup up, “I guess you’ve been baptized as Troy Jr., don’t worry, we’ll just call you Junior.” Junior chirped in response, wiggling its entire body._

“Alright buddy, enjoy your meal!” Troy called out, stepping out of the feeding shed. Junior, delighted, roared, releasing a small puff of fire to cook the meat. The Calypso laughed as the skag gnawed, swinging about to tear a chunk of meat. Hearing the pen door open, Troy turned around, watching you leave the area without a goodbye.

\-----000000------

A few days passed after the Calypso Twins’ arrival from Eden-6, and the stress of Troy’s current predicament escalated. He’d lash out on his subordinates, even killing some CoV followers to vent out his anger. Seeing you spend time and attention on Tyreen ate away his patience.

He wanted to scream.

But in your presence, as well as Tyreen’s, he bit back any insults, seething in his own frustration.

“Huh, seems like the Vault thieves are working hard to get into Carnivora….” Tyreen commented, looking bored as she leaned back on her extravagant lounging chair, “Pain better deliver results.” She diverted her attention from the security feed to her EchoNet device.

Troy only grunted in response, engrossed in another camera feed: Junior’s pen. You were playing with the fire skag, grinning and laughing at the antics of the animal. The Calypso’s expression softened, reminiscing of the times you’d goad a Psycho to play fetch with Junior only for the bandits to get devoured.

“That’s a bit creepy, don’t ya think?”

Short lived trip down memory lane.

Troy only glanced back, glaring at Tyreen who smirked at him.

“Stalker much?” the God Queen pestered, not holding back, “I doubt she’d like knowing you’ve been ogling her through the security cameras.”

He resisted from falling into her trap, instead focusing on the camera feed, wallowing in the better days of company.

\------0000000-------

Watching over and over the reel he worked on that showed Maya _dusting_ away elicited a euphoric rush when he completed it prior to arriving to Eden-6. Even more so hearing the reactions of the Crimson Raiders and the Vault thieves. Now, it disgusted Troy.

Maya became a repulsive reminder of when things changed. Her powers led to disastrous events.

She had the last laugh.

In a short amount of time, he developed Phaselock to greater lengths than what he saw Maya achieve. Aurelia had been _attracted_ to that. Immense power.

_“What does she have that I don’t?” you asked._

_“Power! You don’t have that!” Troy shouted._

He winced, remembering the fights.

_“Now, boy, show me what you can do with that power,” Aurelia instructed._

_“…Glady Baroness,” Troy breathed out, craving more attention._

Troy, inside his empty studio, clicked and dragged the Maya reel to be deleted in the Trash bin.

\-----00000-----

“Hey, so about later, are we still meeting up?”

“Yeah, it’s been a while huh? Need a good poundi-”

“Don’t be so obscene, Tyreen.”

The conversation between you and Tyreen cut short when Troy entered the central living quarters of the twins. You rolled your eyes, glancing elsewhere, annoyed at the man’s presence. Waving at her brother, the God Queen snickered when Troy glared back at her.

“I’ll see you later,” you said, purposely taking the long away around Troy, departing the area. Tyreen blew a kiss, giggling.

“Damn, even I felt that _cold_ shoulder!” Tyreen laughed, “Who is a cold bitch? Her or Aurelia?”

“Tyreen…” Troy hissed out, irritated.

“Ah, little brother, come on,” Tyreen continued, “Nothing like good ol’ sibling banter regarding your exes to start the day!”

“…..” Troy said nothing.

“Bleh, so boring,” his sister teased, “Whatever, we need to go check what Pain and Teller are up to.” Troy followed Tyreen out, seething.

\-----000000-----

In his hands, he hoped, laid a tiny hint of salvation: A token of affection. Troy managed to obtain pieces of copper, getting to work late hours to create a copper rose.

All he had to do know was to get you alone to talk. By stroke of luck, you were in Junior’s pen, cleaning. The fire skag laid on its side on the edge of the pen, basking in the sun, asleep. No interruptions.

You acknowledged Troy’s presence with a shrug, resuming your work. However, once his footsteps got too close, you stopped.

“What do you want?” you growled out, gripping tight the beaten broom.

Troy, itching to take out the copper rose, controlled his anxiousness, “May we talk…? Please…”

Desperate.

You looked away, as if contemplating his request. The Calypso, despite tall and threatening-looking, drowned in fear while waiting. Your stern gaze turned to annoyance when you stared back at him.

“…..Alright,” you relented, standing your ground. Troy let out a deep sigh, refraining from celebrating too early.

“Look… I…” Troy berated himself for stalling, “I….”

You trailed away, leaning the broom against Junior’s feeding shed and grabbing a set metal chains. Whistling loudly towards Junior, the skag awoke, happy at the sight of Troy. The animal immediately trotted over, wiggling its entire body.

Troy, confused, looked on as you clipped the end of the chain hook to Junior’s collar. It struck him as odd considering the skag was past the training phase of being leashed. Like the Calypso, Junior whined against the chains, but remained put.

“Don’t fuss, we’re going for a walk,” you said, directing the comment to the skag than Troy. The man merely grunted, ignored. At the mention of a ‘walk,’ Junior yipped, pawing at the ground. Tugging gently at the chain, you led the skag out, Troy following behind.

As the pet skag of Troy, Junior has its own ‘exercise’ enclosure that consisted of a large, vast terrain that allowed for the creature to run around freely before being placed back in the pen for feeding, regular checkups, or to nap. In the center of the enclosure existed an area with dense vegetation, perfect spot to hide while playing.

Or from _prying eyes._

Palm sweaty, Troy trailed behind you a few steps, seeing the enclosure. Several CoV guards mingled about, patrolling the area. With a Calypso around, they stood erect. Not wanting anyone ruining his talks, he dismissed them. While he waiting for the guards to leave, you entered the enclosure, giggling at an antic Junior did.

_Fuck, I miss that,_ Troy thought, running to catch up to you. Junior pulled at a direction, causing you to grip tight the chains.

“Junior, come on,” you sighed, patient, “Easy now…” Junior yipped, trotting forward as you kept pace, now Troy walking beside you.

“……” Troy glanced down at you, waiting.

“So, are you going to talk or what?” you asked, irritated.

The Calypso rubbed the back of his neck with his mechanical arm, “….How are you doing..?”

_Stupid question!_ Troy thought.

“……” you looked forward, eyes narrowed.

_Shit, shit, shit, do something!_ Troy scrambled to salvage the situation. He was good at reading people but clearly failing at the moment.

“I-I mean… with Tyreen and all…” the man added, taking a deep breath.

“She treats me well,” you responded, forceful, eyes still forward. Junior paused in its trek, pawing at the ground at the sight of a juicy insect. You grinned, watching your pet pounce and score a tasty snack.

“Heh…” you chuckled. Troy said nothing, instead cast aside. An all too familiar feeling with a certain old man of his.

“…..” Troy patted his pocket, the little metal flower weighing more, “I’m sorry.”

Your gaze wavered, your lips thin upon hearing those words, “…..”

“I messed up,” Troy confessed, “I fucked up… I fucked up badly…. And I took it out on you…”

“…..” Your expression soured, causing the Calypso to panic. **Incorrect apology.**

“T-That came out wrong,” Troy attempted, “I-I… I betrayed your trust… I was in over my head…”

“….” You gazed down, deeply inhaling. Before he could continue, you nudged Junior to move, the skag taking the hint and continuing on. An intense air of anger permeated from you. Troy tensed up at your reaction.

Junior huffed, spotting another insect that jumped in the direction of the center area with the dense vegetation. The skag’s attention pulled you – and Troy – inside. Fleeing for its life, the insect jumped around, sneaking into a pile of rocks. Junior, frustrated, tugged at the chain to chase after it.

“Hold on, sit!” you commanded, your voice shaky. Junior obeyed, sitting still while you unhooked the chain, allowing the skag freedom. With a click of your tongue, signaling a command, Junior took off, running after the insect who scurried away from the rock pile.

You and Troy watched Junior travel further into the vegetation, leaving the two of you alone. Coiling up the chain, you stared down at the floor, shaking your head.

“Are you really sorry?” you asked, disappointed, “Or are you sorry you got caught?”

“D-Don’t twist my words…” Troy hissed out, keeping his anger in check.

Unfazed, you kept going, kicking at a small rock, “I was an idiot waiting for you every night, heh… while you fucked Aurelia.”

“I-I…”

“Must’ve been some good fucking sex,” you shrugged, though expression pained, “Not that it matters, right? That woman is dead.”

“She’s not around-“

You cut off Troy, rubbing your eyes, “And that’s why you came back because she’s dead. If she were still alive, you’d be clinging on to her.”

“…..” Troy was unsure of the possible outcome. There was a bit of truth behind your words. Up until Aurelia’s demise, he would orbit around the Jakob’s estate, at the beck and call of the Baroness. Once the Crimson Raiders’ Vault Hunters got to her, his _flame_ for her was extinguished.

“I’m just a regular ol’ bandit from this squalid planet,” you said, sounding exhausted, “Can’t match that classiness of a rich woman.”

“…You can’t… because you are better than she is,” Troy responded, approaching you, “You’ve been at my side through tough times, supporting me… helping me out…”

**_Loyal to me._ **

****

“Doesn’t mean shit now,” you countered, “You made it clear every night you spent it in bed with her. I’ve moved on.”

_By trying to erase yourself from my life,_ Troy thought, _And sleeping with Tyreen of all people…_

“You should move on,” you added, visibly agitated, “You will be doing yourself a huge favor.”

“I can’t,” Troy declared, reaching into his pocket, taking out the copper rose. He grabbed your free hand, placing the item on it. You blinked, not expecting a gift. All of the small tokens he gifted you through the years were long gone in another bonfire shortly after you arrived to Pandora from Eden-6, a bitter reminder of what transpired.

“Please give me another chance….” Troy beseeched, “I need you by my side more than ever.”

“…….” You observed the copper rose, twirling the metal stem in between your fingers, “…Alright.”

Troy swallowed hard, the tension dissipating from his chest.

“Another chance…” you whispered, now looking up at Troy. He smiled, relief evident on his face. Troy went in for a hug, the gesture returned as you wrapped your arms around his neck. He was glad his conversation with you didn’t spiral out of control. His apology wasn’t the greatest, but he managed to convey his feelings. Although Tyreen was in the equation, he was sure that everything will be okay –

**You coiled Junior’s heavy metal chains around Troy’s neck, yanking it hard.**

The Calypso sharply inhaled, gagging. He stumbled backwards, hands quickly grasping the chains only for the man to get knocked down. With the heavy weight of a steel-toed boot on his chest pressing down, Troy struggled.

Eyes wide and panicking, he met distant looking eyes. **Anger.** Your cold gaze cut deep in him as you yanked more, seeing Troy gasp for air.

“W-What are you-“ Troy wheezed, yowling in pain when you put more weight on his chest.

“You have a lot of nerve, Calypso,” you said, voice monotone, “Spewing that shit at me.”

Troy tried reaching out with his mechanical arm, fear heightened when his arm didn’t respond to his command.

_She set the lock on my shoulder!_ Troy thought.

You pulled more, the Calypso crying out in pain as you added more weight on his chest. Tears welled up on the corner of his eyes, a pleading look thrown at you.

A smirk is all he got.

“Remember when I asked you what that _woman_ had that I didn’t?” you inquired, smiling eerily down at him, “Do you…?”

Troy could only nod, words stuck on his throat. He did not expect this turnout. Terrified and at your mercy, he gazed up. He could easily phaselock you, but the thought of hurting you was blocking that route.

“You told me I didn’t have **power** ,” you responded, yanking the chains, your knuckles white, “She had that ice shit, you have your little magic tricks you stole from a Siren…”

Troy attempted to talk, gagging and coughing when you stomped on his chest.

“Guess what, Troy?” You calmly said, “I do have power…” Kneeling down and keeping Troy in place, you got close to his face, expression maniacal. Troy had long forgotten that look of bloodlust when you went in for the kill.

“I never once gave you any attention upon your return,” you continued, “Yet you followed me around, fixated, _yearning_ ….”

Troy whimpered under you, yelping when the chains tightened more around his neck.

“I have power over _you_ , Troy,” you declared, “To be your every _thought_ , the source of your _anxiety_ , the owner of your current _emptiness_.”

“P-Please…” Troy whispered, his lungs burning. He wanted things to be back to normal, before he messed up with Aurelia, before he got Maya’s powers, before ruining the only good thing he managed to find in the unforgiving world of Pandora.

“I’m not done,” you interjected, smile ever present, “You are forgetting something else I’m capable of…. A special power I hold dearly….”

Your grip on the chain lessened, although you kept guard, “Never forget who got you and Tyreen to the spot you currently hold…. I can fucking destroy you both….”

His eyes widen, shocked at your confession.

The reaction caused glee in you, “You were only lucky getting a bandit clan to believe you and Tyreen were god-send to Pandora, but what about the others that followed? Who helped you tweak the scripts? Further dissect and analyze bandit mentality? Sell the divine image?”

_“Troy, I think we have these bandits in the bag!” Tyreen cheered, pointing back at the cheering crowd chanting ‘God-Queen!’ over and over again. Troy bumped fists with her, jubilant about the progress they were making. However, only a handful seemed skeptical of their promises._

_Towards the back of the bandit crowd, few individuals shook their heads, staring at the Calypso Twins with suspicion. Tyreen suggested killing them off. In order to avoid another scare and starting from zero, Troy decided to confront them and figure out what was the ordeal._

_“Hey, you lot are supposed to praise the God Queen,” Troy admonished, staring the bandits down, “Or will you become examples of what we do to heretics?”_

_The bandits snickered, unimpressed by his threat. Baffled, Troy kept face._

_“You are not the first Siren around these parts,” a woman spoke, arms crossed, “We know better than to listen to stupid shit.” Troy glared at her._

_You smirked, defiant, “You may have seduced our bandit leader with pretty words, but elsewhere will get you a bullet between your eyes, no matter your power.”_

_“Besides, if other bandit clans hear about Sirens being here, who knows,” another bandit spoke, chuckling, “They’ll come down and try to capture you both for Hyperion or whatever nutjob corporation’s turn it is.”_

_“Be a big shame your little theatrics don’t pan out fully here,” a Tink added, twirling his wrench, “Before moving on to bigger pastures.”_

_“Hm, well I’ll be damned, I didn’t expect such intelligence to exist here in Pandora,” Troy spat back, but entertained, “Pray tell, then, what are your grand ideas?”_

_You stepped forward, smiling, “Nothing much, simple changes and all to your ‘divine’ message, what ya say? We got a deal?”_

_“Deal,” Troy said, sticking his hand out, feeling the tight grip from yours._

  
“Y-You…” Troy responded, few tears escaping.

“A bandit’s mind is a fickle thing,” you chuckled, letting go of the chains and standing up, “You messed with the wrong fucking Pandoran bandit, **Troy DeLeon**.”

He rolled over, coughing and gagging. He massaged his throat, ignoring his mechanical arm malfunction at the time. Delusional, he looked up at you, remorseful. The fact you utilized his _true_ last name added salt to the wound.

You knew about Nekrotafeyo. Leda’s fate in little Tyreen’s hands. The subsequent treatment under Typhon. The legacy of the first Vault Hunter and how much it haunted Troy.

“Welcome back to Pandora,” you said, flipping him off as you walked away, “Where no one gives a **shit** about _you_.” Whistling and clicking your tongue, you called out to Junior who responded, the skag running up to you. A gentle pat on the head and another whistle, Junior trotted next to you, unaware of Troy’s condition.

And out you went, leaving behind a fractured Troy. He slowly removed the chains from around his neck. The damage was done on both sides, the man quietly nursing his wounded ego and heart.

A harsh lesson for the Calypso.

Sometimes it’s better to let go.

\------0000000------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I caved in and made a second part to Loyalty, lmao. I’ve been watching too many telenovelas (soap operas from Mexico) and got the usual angsty vibe as always and this came out. xD This is the final part, no more or else it will get more and more angsty.
> 
> As much as I love happy endings, I went a different route on this one. No UwU feels. Father, I crave destruction.
> 
> Comments and kudos feed this tiny gremlin! :v!

**Author's Note:**

> ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ I hope you all enjoyed this first chapter! Kudos and comments feed this tiny gremlin. :v


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